Reminder And Seven 'Zonkers' Ask Abe

Doc Zog is holding his 10th Super Bowl of Trivia starting at 2 p.m. Saturday in Coachs' Place, Allentown. The event raises money for the March of Dimes, so show your face.

Finals for the rookies will be held between 2-3:30 p.m. with the casual division finals from 3:30-5 p.m. After a dinner break, the finals for the Intense Division will be held, with an All-Star Competition, starting at 7:30 p.m. and going till whenever.

Now, the Zonkers.

- Howie Bedell ended Don Drysdale's scoreless innings pitched string with an RBI single. How many RBI did he have that year?

- How many times did it take for Phil Niekro to get from 299 to 300 victories (i.e, number of starts)?

- After Joe DiMaggio went 56 straight games with a hit, he immediately went through another hitting streak of how many games?

- The Houston Astros can claim that which two Hall of Famers once wore their franchise uniforms?

- What man hit the most home runs in the 1930s (i.e., for the whole decade, 1930-39)?

- What Cub hurled two no-hitters since 1968?

- How many times did Hank Aaron hit three homers in one game?

* * *

Dear Abe, this is an argument that you and only you have to settle. You have to print this in your Sunday column so my pig-headed friend will finally believe my word.

Bob Shantz was selected by the Washington Senators from the New York Yankees in the 1960 expansion draft. This is what I say is true and I need your backing.

And, since I'm writing, let me ask one more thing. The man that does the narration for the NFL Films is very familiar. Who is it and why would I recognize his voice?

Thanks Abe, I never miss your column.

Mike Walker, Palmerton

You're backed to the hilt. Shantz was the first choice of the Washington Senators (second club) in the American League expansion draft of 1960. He was taken off the New York Yankees roster.

Harry Kalas, the voice of the Phillies, does some NFL Films narration, but I think you are referring to John Facenda. The long time Channel 10 news anchor did the NFL Films voice over for many, many years.

His distinctive voice added to the drama of the events. He died in 1984.

* * *

Abe, what pitcher leads all pitchers in career shutouts?. I was thinking that someone like Big Train Johnson or Grover Alexander is on top of the all-time list but who - of active pitchers - is No. 1.

Whoever the current pitcher is, does he have a chance to catch Johnson or Alexander.

Kevin Hale, Tamaqua

Johnson and Alexander are 1-2 on the all-time list with 110 and 90 lifetime shutouts respectively.

Tom Seaver and Don Sutton head the active list with 61 and 57 blankings. Neither have a shot at the top of the hill.

* * *

Abe, the Philadelphia 76ers won their 1966-67 National Baksetball Association title losing only 13 games. How far ahead of the Boston Celtics did the Sixers finish and who did they beat in the playoffs to make it to the finals?

Henry J., Easton

The Celts ended the season with a 60-21 slate, trailing the Sixers by eight games.

In the playoffs, Philadelphia beat both Cincinnati and Boston in four game.

In the championship, Philly took San Francisco four games to two.

* * *

Abe, people may have forgotten this man after the careers of Roger Staubach and Napoleon McCallum, but Joe Bellino - also of the Navy - also won the Heisman Trophy. He was named college's football's top player in 1960.

Print his statistics starts to show your many reader how talented this forgotten halfback was.

Mark Kercher, Allentown

Bellino played for Navy from 1958-60, winning the Heisman his senior year. An All-America selection, he rushed 330 times for 1,664 yards, an average of five yards a pop.